2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics begin

Orange County’s Animal Services Department will hold its first $10 low-cost rabies vaccination clinic of the year on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Animal Services Center in Chapel Hill.
Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings and allow cats and dogs to remain up to date on their vaccinations. This year, Animal Services will offer 1-year vaccinations at each of the clinics scheduled.
The vaccination fee is $10. Dogs must be on leashes, and cats must be in individual carriers. Animals that may be nervous or unsettled should be kept inside a vehicle for their vaccination. The Animal Services Center is located at 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill.
The next clinics are:
• Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, March 22, at the Public Market House on Margaret Lane in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, April 19, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, May 10, at the Public Market House in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 16, at the Animal Services Center from 10 a.m. to noon
See the website for a full list of the 2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics.

Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days (120 hours) or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets.
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Orange County had 11 positive rabies cases during 2011 and 2010.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence even if there is no evidence of a bite.